Device for setting up rigging



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

F. WHEELER.

DEVICE FOR SETTING UP RIGGING.

No. 377,055. Patented Jan. 81, 1888.

(No Model.)

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I Sheets-Sheet 2. P. WHEELER.

DEVICE FOR SETTING UP RIGGING.

Patented Jan. 31, '1888.

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UNirEn rATEs FRANK \VHEELER, OF MERIDEN, CONN EOTIOUT.

DEVICE FOR SETTING UP RIGGING.

ESPECIEICATION farming part of Letters Patent No. 377,055, dated January31, 1888.

Application filed September 80, 1887. Serial No. 251,108. (No model.)

To CLZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK WHEELER, of llleriden, in the county of NewHaven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Devices for Setting Up Rigging; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in devices for setting uprigging.

Heretofore the standing rigging of ships, yachts, and other vessels hasusually been connected with the channel-irons attached to the hull bymeans of lanyards made of hemp rope; but such means are defective andobjectionable,owing to the fact that the lanyards will stretch and causethe rigging to become slack after comparatively short usage, therebyrequiring the rigging to be set up again, which operation requires anoutlay of considerable time and labor, as the lanyards must be taken oftand rove through the dead-eyes and set up by block and tackle. Variousdevices have been suggested with the object of overcoming theseobjections by substituting for the lanyards some device capable of beingadjusted quickly, so as to setup the rigging,and among such some havemade no provision to allow of the yielding of the mastor rigging, whilein others provision has been made-tor the yielding of the rigging andmast; but in the latter type of such devices other objections have beenmet with which have prevented their adoption, and hence at the presenttime lanyards are in ordinary use.

The object of my invention is to provide a device which shall be simpleand durablein its construction and applicable to any vessels, large orsmall, and capable of being adjusted instantly,so as to set up therigging to the required tension and yet allow of a slightyielding of therigging or mast to prevent the breakage or carrying away of the mast bysudden shocks,to which it is often subjected; and with these ends inview my invention consists in certain features of construction andcombinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a viewin section of a yachthaving my rigging adjuster attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a detached viewin perspective of one of the improved adjustiug devices; and Figs. 3 and4 k are detached views, in plan and scction,of my improved device.

A represents a link, open at its lower end, the ends being provided withholes a a,through which is inserted a bolt, B, one end of which isscrew-threaded and provided with a nut, b. By means of the bolt B thelink A is detachably secured to the channel-iron D.

E represents a rubber cylinder, which is preferably made solid, theupper end resting against a circular plate, F, attached to or madeintegral with the upper cross-bar, f, of the link A, while the lower endis seated upon a circular plate, 9, which is attached to or madeintegral with the lower cross -bar, h, of the link H, the latter beingarranged at right angles to the link A. The upper end of the link Hconverges into a rod, I, which is screw threaded at J, and with whichengages the lower nut, K, of the turn-buckle L. Another screw-threadedrod, M, provided at its upper end with an eye, N, engages in the nut Oat the upper end ofthe turn-buckle. The standing rigging is secured atits lower end to the eye N by means of a loop or an eye formed in theend of the rigging.

From the foregoing it will be observed that my improved rigging-adjustermay be readily applied as a substitute for lanyards, and when onceapplied the rigging may be readily set up to any desired tension bysimply turning the turn-buckle L,which operates to draw the twoscrew-threaded rods toward each other, and at the same time the rubbercylinder will allow of a yielding movement to theniast and rigging, soas to obviate the breakage of the mast or rigging by anysudden shocks towhich they may be subjected. The rubber cylinder is afforded extendedend bearings on the circular plates, and is also afforded extendedlateral bearings on the four inner faces of the arms of the links A H,and thus prevented from bulging outwardly and cracking or becomingimpaired for use. Thelinks A H are so arranged that they may assume anydesired angle, the rubber cylinder serving as a yielding bearing for theupper link, H, and hence it is impossible for thelinks to becomejammedor cramped while in use.

My improvement may be applied and is equally applicable to bowspritstays, or, in fact, any part of a vessel s rigging which requires to beset up from time to time. Instead of being attached to the end of astay, it may be applied to the center, should occasion re quire. 1

As there are so many uses to which my improvement is applicable, itwould practically be impossible to enumerate all of them; but I wouldhave it understood that I do not limitwith the interlocking links,substantially as described, one of which is provided with ascrew'threaded shank, and a yielding cushion separating the cross-barsof said links, of a turn-buckle mounted at one end on said screwthreaded shank and a screw-threaded rod engaging the opposite end ofsaid turn-buckle, substantially as set forth.

2. In a rigging-adjuster, the combination, with the interlocking links,each carrying a circular plate,one of said links having a screwthreadedshank, and a yielding cushion interposed between the plates of thelinks, of a turn-buckleattached at one end to said screwthreaded shankand a screw-threaded rod engaging the opposite end of the turn-buckle,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the interlocking links, one of which isloop-shaped and provided with a screw-threaded shank and the other openat one end and providedwith a removable bolt, and a yielding cushionseparating the cross-bars of said links, of a turnbuckle mounted at oneend upon said screwthreaded shank and a screw-threaded rod' engaging theother end of the turn-buckle, substantially as set forth. In testimonywhereof I have signed this specification in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

I FRANK WHEELER. YVitnesses:

.L. L. SAWYER,

GEO. W. SMITH.

